Matchweek 24 in the Spanish La Liga will feature a huge match-up on Saturday as Real Madrid and Girona go head to head at the Bernabeu with only two points separating the two teams at the top of the table.
Bookmaker 10bet has Real as the clear favorite for the contest and also expects the home side to win the first half. The odds are at 1.85 for Real to lead at half-time, with the odds at 2.60 for a half-time draw and 5.25 for Girona to be ahead after the first 45 minutes.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 8th, 3:00 P.M. (EST)
Real won the reverse fixture 3-0 in September and will be extremely confident of winning the title if another three points follow on Saturday. The team has been nearly flawless at home all season, failing to win just two of 15 outings across all competitions.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men have been in great form throughout the campaign, scoring 48 times in league matches and conceding only 15 goals. Breaking down the Real defense will be a stern test, even for a prolific side like Girona.
Girona has been among the highest scorers in the top five European leagues all season, but the goals have dried up for Michel’s men lately. The Blanquivermells have played out two 0-0 draws in their last four league matches. Artem Dovbyk was badly missed last time out against Real Sociedad, as the rest of the group lacked the quality to turn chances into goals.
Luckily for Girona, Dovbyk is set to return to the lineup on Saturday, and his addition should be a nice boost for the big match. Nobody has scored more goals than the Ukrainian center-forward in La Liga this season, and he has added five assists to his 14 goals in 21 appearances.
However, Girona still won’t be at full strength, as Daley Blind and Yangel Herrera picked up their fifth booking of the season against Sociedad, and Michel was sent off, which means he has to serve a touchline ban at the weekend.
Real continues to carry a long list of injuries, but it’s been so for the entire campaign, and as the results show, Los Blancos don’t seem to be bothered by any selection problems. On Saturday, the side hopes to get Antonio Rüdiger and Vinicius Junior back on the pitch.
Real crushed Girona in the first meeting of the season, with both Joselu and Jude Bellingham registering a goal and an assist, but it has been an uncomfortable match-up for the team. The 14-time European champion had lost two of the previous three head-to-head meetings with Girona. The Catalan side has even gone unbeaten in two straight trips to the Bernabeu, playing out a 1-1 draw last season and beating Real 2-1 in 2019.
